by Tami Kamin Meyer | Aug 3, 2022 | Blog, Write Now Columbus Essay Archives
AN AUGUST OF ACTIVITY – WRITE NOW COLUMBUS AUGUST 2022
Tami here.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Thank you for taking the time to peruse our monthly summary of literary news and events from throughout central Ohio. Nita and I enjoy sharing monthly local literary news about book releases, book fairs, author visits, book signings, workshops, and other writing-related happenings throughout the area.
To be honest, if we were trying to make a living at this, Nita and I would both be clients of my personal bankruptcy law practice (yes, I practice law on the side). We could really use some outside financial assistance to defray the costs of our website, its maintenance, occasional technical glitches, our researcher, and more.
Neither Nita nor I draw any kind of salary for these efforts, so our request for help isn’t about lining our pockets. We need help to keep the site running as it has for the past 19 years.
To donate whatever you can, please visit Nita’s DONATE page. To set up a recurring payment, check the box on that page. To send a check or money order, email nita@writenowcolumbus.com for the address. We take Venmo, too.
We also welcome sponsorships of this newsletter. At $15 a month or $40 for three months, we will mention your book, writing-related event, or even a little love note to your Write Now Columbus creators or our readers. Find sponsorship details HERE.
Thank you so very much!
DOING THE (freelance) HUSTLE!
In personal albeit professional news, I am excited and proud to announce I have been hired for four new writing opportunities. One of the freelance gigs is to write about cars for U.S. News and World Report. Another is to create original content for attorney websites. The two other writing jobs relate to banking and residential home buying, respectively.
It might seem I am flush with work, but, as a longtime freelancer, I know better. Things can change overnight. For example, a website I began writing for in January 2022 stopped using freelance writers in May, forcing me to find new opportunities.
To survive as a freelancer, a person needs to be a hustler. I don’t mean ‘hustler’ in a sneaky, unsavory way, but rather a ‘self-motivated, continuously digging for new challenges’ kind-of-way. Sure, it gets tiring, but overall, I enjoy the thrill of the hunt. And the dollars in my bank account!
IMPROV COMEDY at NEST!
Even more great news to share! Regular readers of this column know I am involved in the improv comedy community in Columbus. I’m THRILLED to announce I will be appearing in two shows in August at The Nest Theatre, 2643 North High Street. The first is Saturday, August 6, when I’ll be participating in a musical improv performance. The show will be the culmination of an intensive, 15-hour workshop I will be participating in Thursday, August 4 through the 6th, with the show at 8 pm that evening.
On August 11, at 7.30 pm, I will be performing a five-minute standup comedy routine as part of a class I am currently taking at The Nest. Yes, life is funny, and I have a lot to say about it.
And, in September, WORD: Live Lit and True Tales, will make its return. Neither the date nor the theme are set as of this writing, but if you’re interested in being a storyteller, please email me at tkmwrites@gmail.com. I’ll share more details as they become known.
For ticket information for any of those performances, please visit www.nesttheatre.com.
Happy August!
~ Tami
(c)Tami Kamin Meyer, 2022, all rights reserved
by Tami Kamin Meyer | Mar 3, 2022 | Blog, Write Now Columbus Essay Archives
March Madness
by Tami Kamin Meyer, Editor
I would be remiss if I didn’t begin this message with a note of love and deep concern for the people of Ukraine, Europe, and frankly, the world. Just when it started to feel like the most burdensome aspects of COVID19 might finally be lessening, even just a bit, our world has been rocked by a virus of hatred, violence and greed.
Both Nita and I hope for a peaceful, speedy resolution not only to the horrific situation in Ukraine, but to all conflicts worldwide. Yes, a lofty goal for one short month, but who would have thought we’d be where we are now just one month ago?
A few words about WORD
And now…an exciting announcement to hopefully lighten the mood. In a recent essay, I shared my excitement at being named the Producer of WORD – Live Literature & True Tales, at the Nest Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. WORD seeks and supports local stories, and has been a recurring show at the Nest since 2107.
WORD will unfold quarterly in 2022, with the first night of storytelling set for March 24 at 7 pm. WORD is a community-wide event that provides an opportunity to connect with one another through true stories from diverse voices throughout Central Ohio.
The theme of the March 24 event is SPRING FORWARD.
If you are interested in sharing a true story relating in some way to the theme (which is purposely vague for personal interpretation), please reach out to me immediately at Wordnesttheatre@gmail.com. When I say immediately, I do mean that! We are under a tight deadline for garnering interest and securing storytellers, so if you have any interest, please email me there. I will respond with an FAQ detailing info like length of stories, the perk you receive as our Thank You for participating in the show and more.
Our goal is to have our slate of storytellers set by mid-March, so time is of the essence. Please share this message with anyone who might be interested in participating. We are seeking a diverse group of storytellers, and appreciate the assistance in spreading the word about WORD.
If you would like to be support Central Ohio storytellers by attending the March 24 WORD event, tickets are $10 and are available www.nesttheatre.com. The Nest is located at 2643 N. High Street, with free parking available in the back lot and nearby streets.
My involvement with the Nest is separate from my contributions to this newsletter, and I appreciate Nita’s support in allowing me to mix my passions together. Like a Reese’s Cup, but without the calories or carbs.
I close with a prayer that when the time comes to pen the April essay for this space, our world has regained some semblance of peace, tolerance, and joy.
~ Tami
(c)Tami Kamin Meyer, 2022, all rights reserved
by Tami Kamin Meyer | Jan 6, 2022 | Blog, Write Now Columbus Essay Archives
WORD is the Word
Guest post by Tami Kamin Meyer
As I type this, I (Tami) am beginning my second week of Omicron. At least I think it’s Omicron. Despite “enjoying” a myriad of symptoms for at least a week, the results of my pharmaceutically-administered COVID test read “negative.”
Hmmm….
Despite the uncertainty of the test, something “positive” did happen to me in December, something writing-related. I’m extremely proud to share it, so I appreciate this venue for spreading the news.
A bit of background
I have been involved with The Nest, an improv comedy theatre in Columbus for nearly three years. My wonderful, longtime boyfriend and I used to attend shows there, and we created many fond memories. It was his Christmas gift in December 2018 of the first level of improv comedy classes at The Nest that led me to me to become a part of that incredible community. It has since become a huge part of me, too.
Unfortunately, just two weeks after I began my first class, in May 2019, I found my dear Brad dead in the shower of our Manhattan hotel room. We had traveled to NYC to celebrate our sixth anniversary of meeting (and dating, because ours was that rare ‘Love at First Sight’ story that began the moment we met).
Despite the unspeakable shock I was in following Brad’s untimely death, I returned to my improv class its next meeting. It was incredibly difficult to open the same entrance door to the Nest that Brad and I had walked through multiple times to see improv shows, but I persevered. I had to. Brad would have wanted me to.
Heads turned when I walked into the theater turned classroom. Everyone knew what had happened in my life just a week before. Our teacher, who happened to be someone from the local improv scene Brad and I adored, embraced me deeply. I cried. He cried. Others came up and touched my shoulders in a show of support. It was a deeply touching moment forever etched in my heart.
Fast forward to December 2021, and the exciting news I received from The Nest.
One of the longest running shows at The Nest is actually not improv-based. It is WORD Live Literature & True Tales. As a writer, WORD is one of my favorite performances at The Nest because it focuses on real stories. Storytellers are invited to share a true story with audience members based on the show’s theme. I myself have presented at WORD three times, so I know it both as a presenter and attendee.
And, in 2022, I will be producing its quarterly incarnations! Just as exciting is the woman chosen to host the show is my closest “Nesty,” as we improvisers at the theatre are lovingly referred to. Brad would have been so happy for me and proud of me, so this means just that much more to me.
In the February issue of WNC, I’ll reveal the theme of WORD’s March show. Storytellers will be invited to volunteer to present at the event. Hopefully, so many folks will volunteer that Jodie and I will have to narrow down the number of storytellers chosen to perform (storytellers will know well in advance if they are being asked to participate).
If you have any questions about WORD, or The Nest, or writing, or even Omicron, please feel free to email me at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com. I’ll be happy to hear from you!
In the meantime, here’s to a sparkly, exciting, productive, joyful and HEALTHY y2K22.
